Letters to the Editor

Should Texas legalize gambling? Readers sound off

Editor’s note: We asked members of our Sounding Off list about expanding gambling in Texas, and this is a sampling of their responses. To join Sounding Off, visit dallasnews.com/voices.

AP

Should Texas get a chance?

Just let us decide

Sen. John Carona’s legislation would not legalize gambling; instead, the bill allows for Texans to make the decision about gambling in their state. If the Legislature truly supports personal responsibility, lawmakers should support such legislation and allow adults to make the decision about where they spend their money.

Texans overwhelmingly support gambling — with their votes and their wallets. Banning casino and horse track gambling in Texas has not demonstrably discouraged or reduced gambling by Texans; in fact, Texans spend over $2 billion gambling in neighboring states. There is no reason why that money, and the jobs created by such spending, should not be in Texas.

Evan Rosenfield, Plano

We’ve been misled before

Gambling in Texas does not need to be expanded. There are numerous ways of gambling one’s money away as it now stands. I do not have as much faith in our state government as I once did. One of the main reasons for this reaction started with the promise that funds collected from the lottery games would be solely directed into the state’s education budget and programs. This turned out to be false. Even if the “fine line” reading had hidden purposes for that money, the people voting for the gambling lotto games were never told the truth.

Bob Jackson, Plano

Follow the Vegas example

It works well for Las Vegas. Like Texas, Nevada has no state income tax, sales tax is about on par, but Las Vegas property taxes are significantly lower than those in North Texas. It’s the tax income from the casinos, hotels and restaurants, paid mostly by out-of-town visitors, that keeps the infrastructure and the city services running. The casinos are a huge draw for convention business.

It is my opinion that there will be sufficient policing of casino operations, especially if anti-abuse controls are included in any eventual legislation. No, not all the negative effects will be prevented, but we may be assured that they will be closely monitored and will have a high profile in the community.

Noble Hetherington, Dallas

Costs are too high …

Texas lawmakers most certainly should not allow casino gambling in our great state! Studies have proved that the social and economic costs of casinos far outweigh any benefits. For example, economists David B. Mustard and Earl J. Grinols found that by its fifth year of existence, the presence of a casino increases robberies by 136 percent, aggravated assault by 91 percent, rape by 21 percent and murder by 12 percent.

A study by the state of Florida estimated that the criminal and social cost of casinos would total at least $2.16 billion each year, exclusively in a state with a population significantly less than that of Texas. Furthermore, the presence of a casino can increase the chance of gambling addictions by 90 percent to those within a 10-mile radius, and doubles the rate of addicts for those in a 50-mile radius. The facts are clear: Taking a gamble with casinos results in a loss every time.

Emma Weatherford, Flower Mound

… Costs are overblown

The debate over whether casino gambling is good or bad for individuals has long been over. The state is not responsible for individual moral decisions, or at least it shouldn’t be. Those who want to gamble can easily travel to Oklahoma or Louisiana (not to mention Nevada, Mississippi and other places).

The decision is whether Texas will gain more in revenue than is lost in social services to gambling addicts. I haven’t noticed any states closing down their casinos because social costs are rising too high. Do the math, plan correctly, apply good legal controls and keep the money and the jobs in state.

Annette Curtis, DeSoto

Be good shepherds

Gambling should not be expanded; casinos should not be allowed. Gambling is like a wolf in sheep’s clothing — a tax on the ignorant made to look like valuable entertainment. Politicians who support gambling can hardly be considered the shepherds of their constituencies. Only losers support gambling (literally).

W. Michael Read, University Park

New revenue would help

Rather than Texans traveling to Oklahoma and Louisiana to play Texas Hold ’Em, our state could play Texas Hold ’Em with the revenue. While I personally dislike gambling, a bill that allocated tax dollars to building roads without tolls and returned funds to public education would be welcome.

Heath Dollar, Haslet

Better ways to raise funds

Texas lawmakers should not expand gambling or allow casino gambling just to increase state coffers. Increased gambling would hurt Texas families, especially our poor families. Many on the left believe that our government should take from the rich and give to the poor. Gambling does just the opposite. It takes from the poor and gives to the rich.

In gambling, there are always winners and losers. For every winner there must be many losers. I personally know a man who lost his job, home and family to his gambling addiction. In the New Testament, Paul wrote, “The love of money is the root of many evils.” For these reasons, Texas does not need to turn to gambling to increase state revenue.

Wes Pyfer, Irving

Stop living in the past …

The guys and gals down in Austin need to jump into the 21st century. Texans have a thirst for casino-style gambling that is being quenched by the large casinos that our neighboring states have on our borders. Not only are we losing tax revenue, we are also losing out on job creation, conventions and tourist business.

Texans are no longer boots and hats, we are from all over the United States and the world. It’s time to move away from all the old adages about crime and other moral perversions that are said to be associated with gambling. That message should be reserved for the pulpit.

John H Brown, Arlington

… The past was better

Once upon a time, I was so proud of Texas. We were a nice “clean” state, with few of the problems that beset other states. Our highways were exemplary. We had good schools. Many counties were dry, gambling was illegal, and the rule of law prevailed, for the most part. Then things began to change.

First, we voted in the lottery, based on Ann Richards’ vehement promises that the state’s proceeds would be used to support and improve our schools. We have horse racing, with the attendant gambling. Alcohol is readily available anywhere you look.

Now we’re to have casinos? Yep, I’d say that’s just about all we need, in order to complete the picture. I’m still proud of Texas, but it’s getting harder every day.

Lanni Fish, Irving

What about our freedom?

Yes, Texas should allow casino gambling. There is, of course, the idiocy of sending carloads and busloads of Texas money to neighboring states like Oklahoma and Louisiana. But, more important, Texas takes pride in its sense of independence and personal freedoms. How can it do so and then prohibit individuals (excluding minors) from taking part in whatever endeavors they wish that can harm no one but the individual?

Lloyd Christensen, Granbury

Majority feel no guilt

I realize that there are people who object to casino gambling on religious or moral grounds and I respect their point but they too have to respect that some of us, if not the majority of us don’t.

While they may feel that they’re looking out for our souls or financial interests, the reality is that those who want to go to casinos are going to go regardless of the objections of those who don’t; the only difference is that the revenues will be left in Oklahoma, Louisiana or Nevada.

Like the idea of dry counties where those who wanted a drink just had to drive to the next county, continuing to object to and stop casino gambling in Texas is a bad idea and antiquated thinking.

Keith Jones, Dallas/Uptown

New York Times

People at tables in the Las Vegas Hotel and Casino sports book for the second round of the NCAA men's college basketball tournament in Las Vegas on March 21. An increasing number of states want in on the action and are pushing for legalized, state-regulated sports betting as a way to make up for shortfalls in their budgets.

At least regulate it

Gambling is often described as a tax on the stupid. Many Texans claim to want to be free of government interference in their lives — in other words, to have the right to be stupid. So following that philosophy, gambling should be allowed freely (and I’d suggest we should tax the heck out of it to help with our state’s budget).

On the other hand, when people act stupidly it often harms the common good. Gambling, for example, harms the families of those who gamble, depriving them of money that could otherwise be put to much better use. We end up with more poverty, more disadvantaged children and, ultimately, higher costs for supporting them through charities, welfare and the like. And since gambling is addictive, it can trap gamblers and their families into a downward spiral.

So if we believe one purpose of government is to protect the common good, gambling ought to be prohibited or at least strictly regulated, just as we regulate driving, the practice of medicine, insurance and even plumbing.

We can’t have it both ways. We can’t insist on regulating some harmful things and not regulating others. The problem is that most people want to regulate the things they disagree with and avoid regulation on the things they don’t.

Dennis J. Frailey, Fairview

Neighboring states are smarter

Yes, casino resort gambling is a good idea. For many years now, gambling revenue has been flowing across state lines in every direction, except Mexico, and benefiting the surrounding smarter states.

You heard me — smarter. Religious groups are trying to keep us in the Dark Ages with tales of potential gambling addiction and decline of society. It’s not happening in all the other states. Why would it happen here? There will always be somebody who gets addicted to something. That’s no reason to deprive the rest of us from state income, many new jobs, and new entertainment venues that we currently have to travel hundreds of miles to enjoy.

While we’re at it, let’s kick those backward looking churches out of our antiquated liquor laws as well. It’s time to move on.

Jim Barnhart, Lewisville

Gambling a sad scene

Texas should not expand gambling. Drive to Shreveport to see the impact on Bossier and its neighbor. The money does not help the city, as is obvious.

Also, slots at the horse races presents a very sad scene. Gamblers with their backs to the horses, plugging away at the machines. Poverty will increase among gullible people trying to supplement their paychecks and pay their increased FICA taxes delivered by the Obama administration.

Fred Doyle, Dallas

It’s all politics

I bet if Texas lawmakers expand gambling in Texas, casino owners will finance Gov. Perry’s next presidential campaign in exchange for having the Teacher Retirement System of Texas invest in casinos. I hope Texas Legislators cash in their chips and come home early instead.

Willa Kulhavy, Garland

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Gambling is a great way to raise money. Look at Prudential, State Farm, Blue Cross, Safeco, Mutual of Omaha and all the rest of those big insurance companies. Their profits are all based upon gambling.

The State of Texas should do it too. Your odds of winning are far better at blackjack, poker, roulette and slot machines than they are for life insurance, long term disability, homeowners, auto and health insurance. Insurance companies bet that you will not have the loss in exchange for your premium, and in the rare event that you do suffer that loss, they nickel and dime you to death. In contrast, the croupier usually smiles when he or she pays off your winning bet.Way more people pay more insurance premiums than they receive in benefits.

Of course gambling should be expanded to casinos in Texas along with adequate financial provisions to deal with addictive gambling and the crime syndicates that inevitably are attracted to the activity. In contrast to buying insurance, gambling is a social and amusing way to lose money, and that lost money can go toward good causes such as roads and bridges and education rather than lining the pockets of corporate executives.

I’m all in.

Philip B. Mendershausen, Dallas

Do it like Connecticut

Having been to the lovely casinos in Connecticut, my husband and I would heartily support expansion of casino gambling in Texas, especially if the casino hotels are styled like the ones up there. The casinos there were very family friendly with a lot of retail, restaurants, and games for children to play, and you saw many families staying there even on holidays.

I did hear complaints from individuals about the additional traffic in the more rural area where the two casinos were located, but I think that the state definitely welcomed the increased income. Busses would bring people in from New York, Maryland, New Hampshire and probably other places as well.

Jane Hoffman, Dallas

Sin taxes never pay off

Tax money from gambling is the most regressive form of taxation there is. While middle income and wealthy people may gamble, it is the poor that gamble and suffer the most.

Gambling is not good for the economy. It is not a good source of tax revenue. It creates debt. It produces nothing. It encourages crime. It causes suffering. A something for nothing attitude spreads from gambling to other areas of life.

Gambling degrades life. All forms of gambling should be illegal. Sin taxes never pay for the damage they do.

Philip Hudson, Richardson

Remove moral aspect

Like far too many legislative matters, the Texas Legislature has always approached gambling from a moral, rather than a governmental, perspective.

Even if there were not casinos right across our borders drawing Texas money, from a sheer logical perspective — logic, not morality — Texas should offer that entertainment option, and reap the additional funds to be derived.

Hugh Nations, Austin

It brings social baggage

I’m no right wing, holier than thou zealot, but sometimes I guess I sound like one. No one wants to hear it, but gambling and the lottery amount to a tax on those who can least afford it.

The state should support business and growth of our economy, but not at any price. Let’s face it, gambling brings a lot of social baggage, and to say that it doesn’t is either naive or ignorant.

We should not be swayed by promises that money from legalized gambling will be earmarked for this or that particular program as we are told funding from the lottery goes to education. That’s nonsense. Just like you and me, the state has a budget, money goes in and money goes out. Can you tell me what day of the week you earn the money that goes to make your mortgage payment? Of course not, and neither can the state.

John Keller, Arlington

Don’t like it? Don’t participate

As a proud Texan, I’m embarrassed that we’re actually debating whether or not adults should be allowed to choose for themselves how to spend their money.

If you don’t approve of gambling, don’t gamble. But even if you don’t agree in principle that people should have the right to risk their money, you can’t deny the practical benefits of allowing it. If gambling is expanded, all Texans benefit from the economic boost, regardless of whether or not they gamble. Gambling is a winning bet for all Texans.

Mac McCann, Lake Highlands High School graduate and current freshman at the University of Texas

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We welcome and read all letters from readers, and we salute those people willing to sign their names to their opinions. The letters chosen for publication are a representative sampling of the opinions shared with us. We include all published letters on this blog and encourage readers to engage in a civil debate: Attack ideas, if you like, but not one another.